Former Sherwood football coach Steve Atwater will be honored next month

Denver Broncos defensive lineman Zach Kerr made a triumphant return to his home state of Maryland.

Kerr, who played high school football at Quince Orchard, registered a tackle in the Denver Broncos’ 29-17 victory Friday over the Washington Redskins.

Kerr was delighted to play in front of relatives including his mother, sisters, nieces and nephews.

“It felt amazing man just to be able to get back around the family and play good football and get a ‘W’ it’s always good,” said Kerr.

Kerr, who helped lead Quince Orchard to a Maryland 4A state championship in 2007, is the school’s first graduate to play in an NFL regular season game.

The Gaithersburg native enters his second season in Denver after making his NFL debut with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2014 following a college career that began at Maryland and finished up at Delaware.

During the 2017 campaign, Kerr saw action in 11 games and made one start, registering 19 tackles including 10 solo stops. He hopes to have a more productive season this year.

“I just want to contribute to the team as much as I can and help this team get some W’s and obviously take it one week at a time,” said Kerr.

The Broncos finished the 2017 campaign at 5-11 but Kerr believes this franchise is capable of making a splash in 2018.

“I just want to be successful as a team and as a unit and as an individual,” said Kerr. “That’s really my expectation is just for us to go out here and win games and be better than last year.”

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Former Sherwood assistant football coach Steve Atwater will be honored next month.

Atwater, a former Denver Broncos All-Pro safety who played collegiately at the University of Arkansas, will be inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame on Sept. 10.

“Steve Atwater has long been a Razorback football legend and soon he will be a member of the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame, University of Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. “He helped lead Arkansas to a conference championship and four bowl games before going on to an outstanding NFL career. We look forward to celebrating with Steve and his family in September as he is honored as one of the best to ever compete in the Southwest Conference.”

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Arizona Cardinals President and Georgetown Prep alum Michael Bidwill released a statement following the death of U.S. Sen. John McCain.

McCain, who passed away on Saturday after a long battle with brain cancer, was a friend to Bidwill and the Cardinals organization.

“Arizona, the United States and the world will never be the same without the voice of Senator John McCain,” said Bidwill. “We are heart-broken by his passing but know that the character, courage and conviction that he demonstrated throughout his life will endure forever. All of us at the Arizona Cardinals extend our deepest condolences to his wife Cindy and their entire family. The world was a better place with Senator John McCain in it and we all mourn his loss tonight.”